Swimming pools



Dec. 25, 1962 R. c. HEGERFELD 3,069,695

' SWIMMING POOLS Filed Aug. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

RICHARD C. HEGERFELD ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1962 R. Q HEGERFELD 3,069,695

SWIMMING POOLS Filed Aug. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, RICHARD C. HEGERFEILD ATTORNEY sates ateritti 3,69,695 Patented Dec. 25, 1952 3,0695% WWMING PGULS Richard (I. Hegerfeld, Sank City, Wis. Filed Aug. 3-59, 1961, $83. No. 134,975 I; (Ilaims. (l. 4172) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the structure of swimming pools.

My invention is an improvement of and a continuationin-part of my co-pending application S.N. 48,613, filed August 10, 1960, for Swimming Pools and Construction Methods.

It is an object of this invention to provide a swimming pool wherein the panels are securely anchored by supports seated in the concrete and the dirt fill on the outer side of the panel.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a swimming pool having a fiber glass sidewall which is simple'to repair or replace in the event of damage thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a swimming pool which is relatively inexpensive and which can be easily installed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a swimming pool which readily complies with sanitary and safety requirements of various local and other building codes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious. from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top view of the swimming pool sidewalls showing the support members and means for Securing the fiber glass panels together.

FIG. 2 is a side view partially in section of the panel with concrete base and coping and support members.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view partially in section of the panel with concrete base and coping and support members and drain when a scum gutter is provided.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top view of a fiber glass panel showing the pipe support member secured thereto.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a preferred method of securing the fiber glass panels together.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a modified method of securing the fiber glass panels together.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, partially in section showing the connection of support members at the upper portion of the panel.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of the preferred coping molding for the sidewall panels.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section view of the concrete floor of the pool and the pool drain.

:FIG. 10' is a sectional side view of a modified coping molding for the sidewall panels.

FIG. 11 is an end view of a modified molding material for securing the fiber glass panels together.

The swimming pool may be of any desired shape, such as rectangular, round, oval, kidney-shaped and so forth, because of the flexibility of the fiber glass sheets forming the wall of the pool.

My swimming pool 15 has a concrete floor 16, which is preferably about three feet below the desired water level of the pool along the edge 17 of the entire perimeter of the pool. The concrete floor 16 then deepens as desired toward the center of the pool 15, the lowest depth at which are located the drain l3 and the hydrostatic relief valve 19, with the drain pipe 20, as shown in FIG. 9.

The sidewalls 21 of the pool 15 consist of a plurality of panels 22, which are preferably formed of fiber glass and are spliced together by a splice assembly consisting of a facing strip 24 of aluminum, chrome or other suitable material that will not readily oxidize or deteriorate, an inner gasket 25 and an outer gasket 26 of neoprene upper end ll.

E or similar material, and a backing plate 27 which may be a channel iron for additional strength as shown in FIG; 5. Facing strip 24 is secured to backing plate 27 by inset screws 243 at various intervals. When the screws 28 are tightened, a water-tight seal is created at the joints of the side edges 22a of the fiber glass panels 22.

A modified splice assembly is shown in FIG. 6 wherein facing strip 2% has a greater curvature and more oval shape than facing strip 24. A further modified means of splicing the panels 22 is illustrated in FIG. 11, wherein as hereinafter described a double notched molding St; is used.

The lower portion 23a of the panels 22. are set side by side in a slot 31 in the concrete extending around the edge 17 of the perimeter of the pool 15. The panels 22 should be level and plumb. Use of fiber glass panels 22 permits the sidewall 21 to be smoothly curved to conform to the desired shape of the pool. A rubber water seal Ella may be used to form a seal between the panels 22 and the concrete floor 16, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each fiber glass panel 22 has a plurality of pipe support members 32, preferably three on each panel, which are secured by a U-shaped fiber glass strip 33 which is fused or otherwise secured to the rear face of the panel 22, as

' shown in FIG. 4.

Each of the pipe support members 32 is provided with a reinforcing bar 36, preferably of steel, having curved up er and lower end portions 37 and 38, respectively, which hook into the respective upper and lower ends 34 and 35 of the pipe support members 32.. FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the reinforcing bar 36 preferably extends horizontally back from the pipe support member 32 to form a base portion 39, then turning upward to form a vertical portion 46 and then extending diagonally to form the The base portion 39 is preferably anchored to the wire mesh 43 which reinforces the concrete fioor 16 which extends beyond the sidewall 21 of the pool to enclose the lower portion of the sidewall reinforcing members.

In order to furnish additional support, a strengthening bar 44 is used. The strengthening bar 44 has a short horizontal side 45 and a short projecting end as at right angles and on the same horizontal plane as side 45. The short projecting end 4 6 extends under the curvature 42 of the reinforcing bar 36, as shown particularly in FIG. 7, and is attached to the latter by a wire 47. The strengthening bars 44 are preferably used with the reinforcing bars 36 attached to the pipe support members 32 nearest the outer edges 22a of the fiber glass panels 22, as shown in FIG. 1.

Where a scum gutter is desired, or is required by local ordinance, a scum gutter reinforcing bar 48, which may be partially enclosed in pipe sleeve 49, is secured to the strengthening bar 44 by wires and 51. FIG. 3 shows the scum gutter reinforcing bar 48 with a long diagonally extending side 52, a horizontal side 53 and a relatively short vertical side 54. The vertical side 54 may be partially enclosed in a collar 55.

As previously mentioned, the lower portions 23a of the panels 22 are set in the concrete slot 31, and the concrete floor 16 extends beyond the sidewalls 21 to cover the lower portions of the reinforcing bars 36, the strengthening bars 4 and the scum gutter reinforcing bars 43. F368. 2 and 3 show the concrete in extending above the lower end 35 of the pipe support members 32 to the preferred level 56. The area 57 behind the panels 22 is preferably filled with compacted sand and gravel 58 to the approximate level shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A coping molding 59, which may be plastic or some other suitable material, is attached around the top 23b of the sidewall panels 22 as shown in FIG. 2. The preferred coping molding 5% is shown more clearly in FIG- a 8. The molding 59 has an arcuate section 61 and a substantially fiat skirt section 60' which is attached to the front face of the panels 22 near their top 23b by means of attachment screws 63, which extend upward into the panel 22 at an angle, which may be approximately 30. The skirt 60 is preferably attached so that the bottom 62 of the coping molding arcuate section 61 is approximately one-quarter inch below the top 23b of the panel, as shown. Such a position permits the concrete coping 64 to form against both the front and rear faces of the panel 22 for added support. The concrete coping 64- with reinforcement wires 65 is laid on top of the sand and gravel fill 58, around the top 23b of the panel 22 and against the arcuate section 61 of the coping molding, to cover the top portions of the reinforcement bars 36 and strengthening bars 44, as shown in H6. 2. FIG. 10 shows a modified coping molding 5% which may also be used with my invention. FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the alternative coping molding 59a.

Where a scum gutter is provided, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the scum gutter concrete coping 66 is sloped downward from the coping molding 59a toward drains 67, which have an outlet 6% to a filter (not shown). A strip 69 of fiber glass is located between the collar 55 and the drains 67, and sealed in place by the concrete coping behind and between the drains 67. A scum gutter molding 73', which is similar to the coping molding 59a is attached to the top of the fiber glass strips 69. An outer coping 71 with reinforcement wires 72 is located behind the scum gutter molding 7b to cover the upper portions of the scum gutter reinforcing bars 48 and collar 55.

FIG. 11 shows an end view of a modified molding 3b with a groove 73 between extending edges 74 and 75, and a similar groove 76 between extending edges 77 and 7 8. The respective side edges 22a of the fiber glass panels 22 are extended into grooves 73 and 76. The molding 30 is composed of plastic, fiber construction, or similar material that will provide a water tight seal between the fiber glass panels 22, and the molding extends the length of the panels.

It is understood that the present invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein described and illustrated, but embraces all such modifications thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An outdoor swimming pool comprising, a concrete floor, a side-wall consisting of individually disposed panels having front and rear faces, the vertical edges of each said panel being in sealed engagement with the vertical edges of the adjoining panels, support members secured to the rear face of each said panel, reinforcing bars in communication with said support members ex tending rearwardly from said panel, the lower portions of said panels being set in concrete and the upper and lower portions of the reinforcing bars being set in upper and lower concrete areas extending rearwardly from said panels, fill material behind said panels between said upper and lower concrete areas, coping molding secured to the upper portion of said panels, and a coping comprising said upper concrete area extending rearwardly from said coping molding.

2. An outdoor swimming pool comprising a concrete floor, a sidewall consisting of individual vertically disposed panels having front and rear faces, the vertical edges of each said panel being in sealed engagement with the vertical sides of the adjoining panels, support members secured to the rear face of each said panel, reinforcing bars in communication with said support members extending rearwardly from said panel, the lower portions of said panels being set in concrete and the upper and lower portions of the reinforcing bars being set in upper and lower concrete areas extending rearwardly from said panels, fill material behind said panels between said upper and lower concrete areas, coping molding secured to the upper portion of said panels, a coping comprising said upper concrete area extending rearwardly from said molding, scum gutter means at: tached to said coping.

3. An outdoor swimming pool comprising a concrete floor, a sidewall consisting of individual vertically dis-' posed panels having front and rear faces, the vertical edges of each of said panels being in sealed engagement with the vertical sides of the adjoining panels, support members secured to the rear face of each said panel,-

reinforcing bars in communication with said support members extending rearwardly from said panel, the lower portions of said panels being set in concrete and the upper and lower portions of the reinforcing bars being set in upper and lower concrete areas extending rearwardly from said panels, fill material behind said panels between said upper and lower concrete areas, coping molding secured to the upper portion of said panels, a coping comprising said upper concrete area extending rearwardly from said molding, scum gutter means attached to said coping, the scum gutter means being formed by a rearward extension of said coping and reinforcement means extending from said scum gutter means through said fill material and anchored in said lower concrete area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,797,397 Booraem et al Mar. 24, 1931 2,888,818 Leuthesser June 2, 1959 3,015,191 Lucchesi Jan. 2, 1962 

